Matthew 8:18-34

Week 4 Memory Verse
 

Enter by the narrow gate;

for wide is the gate and broad is the way

that leads to destruction,

and there are many who go in by it. 

Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way

which leads to life,

and there are few who find it.

Matthew 7:13-14

 

 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: KATI KILPATRICK is the 13 year old daughter of Billy Joe and Tera Kilpatrick.  She loves playing the piano, singing, writing songs, babysitting, church, dancing, and her sisters!  When Kati is grown, she wants to get married, have LOTS of babies, and be a midwife!  Kati is a homeschooler in eighth grade and is a member of  F.F.H.S.C..  She is a very active member at Freedom Fellowship in Silsbee, Texas where she plays the keyboard for the youth "One Way" praise team and serves in the nursery.

 

 ***READ Matthew 8:18-34!***

 

The dictionary defines disciple as a personal follower of Jesus through his life, especially the twelve apostles. Being a disciple was a hard thing to be. The disciples gave up ALL they had to go and follow Jesus.

 

Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” Matthew 8:19-20

 

Jesus was saying that he had nothing but what God provided for him, and if they truly wanted to be a disciple and follow him, they would have to give up earthly things that might become more important than him.  They needed to know the cost of being a disciple, and the price is EVERYTHING!

 

This also applies to us. Even though we are not exactly like the 12 disciples, if you’re a Christian, a true follower of Jesus, you are His disciple. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to go and sell all you stuff in a yard sale. What it does mean is that if we put more time into playing the x-box, talking on the phone, watching television, or working to get "things" than we do praying and reading our Bible, we are putting earthly things before Jesus. Our time, money, and things we own should all be used for the work of Jesus.  The price of being a disciple is letting Jesus be in control of all of things. 

 

Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. So the men marveled, saying, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”  Matthew 8:23-27

 

Even though the Disciples had seen Jesus do many miracles, they still had doubt. In verse 26, Jesus asked, "Why do you still doubt me?"  With ease Jesus got up and calmed the storm. Sometimes we will have doubt. We NEED to read The Word to remind us that Jesus will calm our storms and have faith, believe, that He is who He says He is! 

 

 

TIME OF REFLECTION:

Have you ever been talking with other people about an event that happened, and it seems that everyone has seen things slightly different?  You were all at the same place, seeing the same thing, but different things stuck out in your mind, and not in the person's next to you. This is one of the reasons I know the writers of the Gospels were REAL people.  They each saw things from different viewpoints.  In verses 28-34, two demon-possessed men were healed.  This miracle is also found in Mark 5:1-20 and Luke 8:26-34.  Read every account!  In your journal, compare Matthew, Mark, and Luke's accounts of what happened during this miracle.